Elise has spent the last few years working in the humanitarian sector in Iraq and Afghanistan. She has a B.A. in Political Science from McGill University and an MSc in International Relations of the Middle East from the University of Edinburgh. In addition to her general focus on the MENA region, Elise’s areas of interest also include international security, migration, and U.S. foreign policy. You can connect with her on Twitter at @emhannaford.

Almost two and a half years after ISIS took control of Mosul in early June 2014, the Iraqi army launched Operation Fatah, a military campaign aimed at regaining control of the city and its surrounding areas, on October 17, 2016....